Court Orders Labour Ministry To Vet Recruitment Agencies, Repatriate Lucy Ngana’s Body
News Updated: 19 June 2026 18:25 EAT
The High Court has ordered the Ministry of Labour to carry out a nationwide vetting of recruitment agencies involved in overseas job placements as part of efforts to strengthen protection for Kenyan migrant workers.
The ruling followed a petition highlighting concerns over the treatment and welfare of Kenyans working abroad, particularly in Middle Eastern countries where cases of labour disputes, exploitation and difficult working conditions have continued to attract public attention.
In its decision, the court declined to suspend labour migration programmes to the Middle East, noting that tighter regulation and stronger oversight mechanisms would provide a more effective solution than imposing a complete ban on foreign employment opportunities.
The court directed the Ministry of Labour to urgently review all licensed recruitment agencies and assess whether they meet legal requirements and operational standards governing labour export.
Judges also ordered the government to facilitate and finance the repatriation of the body of Lucy Ngana, a Kenyan who died while working in the Middle East.
The court found that the State had not fully fulfilled obligations under the Employment Act relating to the protection and return of Kenyan migrant workers in such circumstances.
To ensure compliance, the Ministry was directed to file a progress report within three months detailing actions taken to implement the repatriation order and the vetting process.
The court, however, rejected requests seeking the immediate evacuation and return of all Kenyan workers reportedly facing abuse or deportation abroad, ruling that such measures were too broad to be implemented through judicial directives.
Additional proposals seeking mandatory deployment of labour officers to all Kenyan missions abroad and expedited enactment of labour migration laws were also dismissed on constitutional grounds.
Even so, the court encouraged the government to continue strengthening legal and policy frameworks governing labour migration to improve safety, accountability and support systems for Kenyans seeking employment outside the country.
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FELIX MAKONA
FACT FINDER AND DATA DRIVEN JOURNALIST. DATA MINING AT IT'S BEST. GET FACTS RANGING FROM MATTERS DISABILITY AND INCLUSION, POLITICS, ECONOMY, SPORTS AND GENERAL NEWS AROUND THE WORLD